David Blake

September 2006 marked David Blake's 17th year with WWL as news anchor. In 1973 as a business major at Southern California's Pierce College, David stumbled across the college radio station *KPCR*, and the love affair with radio began. After spending two years as news director, program director, and general manager of the college station, it was "time to go pro.". First stop: Mobile, Alabama's WABB AM-FM where David served as News Anchor, and after a couple of years, a jump across town to *WKRG AM-FM* which had just become a news/talk operation. After capturing several Associated Press (AP) and Press Club awards for Best Newscast, David learned about an exciting new venture in New Orleans, Louisiana where Top 40 was finally coming to the FM dial on *WEZB/B97 FM.* David teamed up with Cajun
Ken Cooper as both morning newsman and sidekick. For over three years the team turned in some of the highest ratings ever recorded in New Orleans radio. In 1983, David answered the call to come to Los Angeles to serve as News Director and Morning News Anchor for the 50,000 watt "*Big KFI 640 AM." The youngest news director in the history of KFI, David went on to win an unprecedented fifteen (15) Golden Microphones for excellence in radio journalism - including Best Newscast in Los Angeles five (5) consecutive years -in addition to receiving honors for News writing, Newscast, and News Documentary from United Press International (UPI).

Still, filled with fond memories, the Big Easy beckoned once more, and when the opportunity presented itself, David returned to the Crescent City to join WWL 870 AM--"Voice of the Gulf South" as news anchor in September 1989. His work with WWL has earned him a host of honors from the Press Club of New Orleans, the Associated Press, as well as national and regional Edward R. Murrow awards for excellence in broadcast journalism. Over the course of his 33 years behind the microphone, David has covered everything from earthquakes to hurricanes, September 11, riots, raids, and corruption, and some of the most sensational "trials of the century" including those of Edwin Edwards, John Delorian, and several others...AND... of course, the greatest challenge of his career - Hurricane Katrina.